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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2977, 10 January 1881, Page 2

The arrival of Mr Marchant advances the little difficulty of that gentleman's appointment another stage. The Corporation is now placed in the predicament of having to tell a falsehood to hide a blunder, or to tell the truth aud pay a large sum of money to Mr Marchant to keep him out of his office. This is administration with a vengeance. Mr Marchant not having been officially informed of his appointment, but learning of it through the columns of the public press, has come here to ascertain the facts of the case, and discover why the truth has been withheld by the Corporation. His position is clear enough. On the 22nd of December he was appointed Municipal Engineer, and at tbe following regular meeting of the Council the correctness of the minutes of the preceding one was confirmed. According to the terms of

the conditions under which applications for the appointment were invited, the successful applicant was to enter upon his duties on January i. After the December meeting of the<- Council - twenty - five applicants were officially informed that Mr iUarchant had been appointed engineer, and their testimonials were returned to them. By command of the Mayor, the Town Clerk was, however, forbidden to communicate with Mr Marchant, this course being taken at the recommendation of four Councillors, three of whom had resolved, if possible, to rescind the resolution by which the vacant office had been filled. We are thus careful to note the proceedings which have led to the false position in which the Corporation has been placed, that, in the event of future trouble, the blame may rest on the right shoulders.